two kinds of health

In general, mental and physical well-being go together. Moderate exercise helps blood flow to the brain, which helps keep one's mind sharp. Also, the unhealthy things that block or damage blood vessels affect the brain, as it is filled with blood vessels. With being mentally healthy, this affects the health of the body, as the brain releases hormones and such that can either help or harm the body (as, for example, mental stress can harm one's body).

Of course, since the brain is part of the body, it should be no surprise that it is affected by and affects other parts of the body.

So my advice is to neglect neither, or both will suffer for it. You do not need to be a great athlete to be healthy, but you do need to exercise some if you want to be physically or mentally fit for an extended period of time. Likewise, you do not need to read vast volumes of books and be a great scholar in order to keep your mind sharp. Moderation is sufficient in both, provided one does not actively work against these things (e.g., with excessive eating or drinking, etc.), and, of course, provided one is not unfortunate regarding accidents and diseases and such.

I think that endurance sports are most efficient for health. Generally, it has the *most* regenerative effects. Diet and repertoire food can have a dramatic effect on the body and mind. The classic model of the body being a vehicle for the mind has been debunked. It's been shown that aerobic activity contributes to increased neuro-trophic factors (aka growth). Exercising the mind will cause it to grow; which gives a whole new dimension to the fun of having hobbies like programming.

Sleep too is important; In the real world people often are unable to tend to there own progress or lack the discipline/resources to do so.

In general I agree, but -as you also point out- in case of illness a healthy life-style is not enough. Since I had a break-down 12 years ago I look upon the mental side of health from a different angle. Medication ruined my physical health and my mind was checked by doctors who base their opinion on the american DSM. Part of my break-down was my anger towards god; I wanted to kill it because it ruined my life. Would a student from med-school/trainee be able to talk about it?

I think a lot of "mental" illnesses are more about social, or morally unacceptable behaviour. The Netherlands is tolerant but it's taken seriously if you shake the chains a little. It is -I am in Manchester and have to think of Turing- like being gay; as long as it is in the closet it's OK. This hypocrisy is a cause for many mental problems. Small minded middle class bureaucrats govern the world, that's democracy in western societies. That's what's a real Health problem for Society as a whole.

I can honestly say that being labeled as a mental patient on basis of american standards turned me against the capitalist system. It turned me from a democrat into a republican like a french one I mean. I would love to meet a revolutionary thinker in Holland to reinstal our Republic. More I cannot say without getting in problems again I think. This is not a mental problem but moral out-rage.

I learned to do something about it and now I bake bread to share like Jezus, but I give it to the Buddhists. I try to be happy and fair. I lost all respect for authority, only violence and lack of funds can stop me from thinking out loud. Or the moderator...Anyway, U don't have to be Nostradamus to see the western world go under.

:sarcastic: Sure U can

I think you would be surprised by how getting physically very fit can also help your mental balance. I took up jogging in my late 20's. It helped me overcome a lot of my emotional issues, I am sure. I used to run 6-7 km 4-5 times a week. I run less now (in my fifties), but I still do it. It just helps to balance a lot of physiological functionality and also provides an outlet for emotional energy. And, you sleep great afterwards.

I am physically as fit as I can be; I do not run, never did. I walk several hours a day or take my bicycle. I perceive the world as unfair, the human race as misguided by our perception of truth. I joined this Forum to educate myself and learn from other people from different cultures. In my life I fought several taboos and find it hard to be open about it because I am tired to educate people who are not part of my life.

I am 44 now; with my health I do not expect to double it. I always worked hard like a good Calvinist, but now it is my turn to ask for support. Let me rephrase that: I demand support. It's my right as a Dutch citizen. I have paid my taxes, employed people and supported good causes. For 10 years I did not say much about it, but realize it only damaged myself. I am balanced enough, but get unbalanced by breach of justice. I cannot let it go by running. As a lawyer I feel I have to stand up for my rights. About time...

The world, or life, or whatever you want to call it, does certainly seem unfair. But of whom are we to demand an account? Is there any point in cursing the sky?

"I am 44 now; with my health I do not expect to double it. I always worked hard like a good Calvinist, but now it is my turn to ask for support. Let me rephrase that: I demand support. It's my right as a Dutch citizen. I have paid my taxes, employed people and supported good causes. For 10 years I did not say much about it, but realize it only damaged myself. I am balanced enough, but get unbalanced by breach of justice. I cannot let it go by running. As a lawyer I feel I have to stand up for my rights. About time..."
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This sounds like mid-life crisis to me. I went through that phase, it was like a second adolescence when you feel there must be more to life than what society offers or demands...a feeling of injustice and estrangement vis-a vis society, then you learn to know yourself for real and a more serene attitude develops towards life and society.

One thing I found out is that pleasure is the key to everything, Nature's golden rule. I realised that every imperative in life is accompanied with pleasure. We must reproduce as a species and so there is pleasure in sex. We must eat so we find pleasure in eating, sleeping is also pleasant. We find pleasure in work and there is also pleasure even in altruism. So I see as potential health hasard whatever does not provide some pleasure. If I know I won't have fun in a family reunion for example I won't go even if it's Xmas. That is why I don't think it is good to force ourselves to do what we think is right, like exercising when we don't feel like it or going on a diet because we don't meet current standards. Smoking for example is bad for health and the first time we try it we don't feel pleasure and some will stop there while others will violate their bodies and gradually find some pleasure in smoking until they realise they are hooked and there is no more pleasure. Then they will make the mistake of trying to stop smoking drastically, violating their bodies once again the opposite way. Many people die young anyways even if they stop smoking and there is this theory that stopping to smoke can be dangerous for heavy smokers and that they must do it very gradually because the body is accustomed to fighting the agression of smoke and if that agression ceases suddenly the body is still on an agressive-defensive mode and will sort of attack itself in the absence of the agrressor (the smoke).

Pepjin is right I think, most of our mental and physical illness are socially related. My own recipe for mental and physical health is to feel free even if I am not absolutely free, I need to feel that I am by keeping social obligations to a minimum and by not being fearful and by not tolerating any authority over my head. I also take some time every year to let go of my humanity (my social identity), and reconnect with my "animal nature". I go to my country house in the wild alone and just live like an animal, I eat simple raw food, I sleep whenever I feel like it and I just roam about mostly naked and observe nature. I howl to the moon...the last time I made friends with a small snake. She would come in front of my door, and raise her head and move her tongue (but one day my husband who did not know she was my guest, killed the poor thing), anyways, after about 10 days I come back to civilisation relaxed and feeling good.
I noticed S.S. started this thread just before Xmas. There are particular times like New Year or our birthdays when we feel the urge to change, become better, then we gradually go back to our little old selves we are accustomed to. So in conclusion I would say we must learn to take care of ourselves not by obligation but because there is pleasure in goodness and our only obligation is to enjoy life, that's when we are at our best and can help others enjoy life too.

I was not cursing the sky but the (christian) god I grew up with. I felt He was not protecting me and my family as promised at my baptism. It was like someone not living up to a promise and I felt cheated.

---------- Post added 04-19-2010 at 09:19 AM ----------

I wish I could run off to nature more often, or just live in the country-side. Hopefully I will in a few years time. I am not in a mid-life crises however, I think I have been through this phase a long time ago when I lost my business. I still get angry though about certain situations but start to realize it is my pride kicking in. I always wonder the minimum of pride you can have, without loosing self-respect.

I don't see the two as separate. As I do things for my physical health, I see it as good for mental health as well.

Kill two birds with one stone.

mens sana in corpore sano